Faire. Savoir-faire. Faire-savoir. The Quiet Power of Being Seen

Faire. Savoir-faire. Faire-savoir.

Three dimensions of impact. Three muscles we all need to develop, not just to grow professionally, but to truly make a difference in how we show up and how we are remembered.

Faire

We all begin with faire; the action of doing. It’s the ability to deliver, to complete what’s expected, to get things done. It makes us dependable, gives us structure, and earns us trust.

Being a doer is often what gets us through the door, especially early in our careers.

But as the complexity around us increases, new roles, matrixed environments, shifting expectations, being good at getting things done stops being enough.

Savoir Faire

That’s when savoir-faire starts to matter. This is where experience, maturity, and social intelligence come in. It’s not just about what you do, but about how you do it, how you navigate conversations, manage tension, sense the energy in a room, and decide when to speak and when to let silence work for you. It’s knowing how to support a colleague without turning it into a performance, or how to create space for others while staying fully present.

Savoir-faire is often invisible, but always felt. It's what makes people want to work with you again. And still, even when you do good work, and you do it wisely, something may still be missing.

That something is faire-savoir—the ability, and perhaps more importantly, the willingness to make your contribution visible.And this is where things get tricky.

The visibility dilemma

We both know faire-savoir has a branding problem. For many of us, it brings up images of people who are constantly in the spotlight; those who jump into meetings just in time to leave a clever comment, who send carefully worded emails to subtly promote themselves, who always seem to cc the right people and never miss a chance to highlight their role in a success.

We’ve all seen this dynamic at play, and if you’re anything like me, it probably makes you cringe a little. It can feel artificial, self-serving, and honestly, exhausting. And the most frustrating part is that sometimes, it works, at least in the short term. But it builds a reputation on thin ice.

So we end up distancing ourselves from faire-savoir altogether, quietly hoping that the work will speak for itself. But here’s the uncomfortable truth: it often doesn’t. Not because the work isn’t valuable, but because people are busy, distracted, or simply unaware. And in that silence, great contributions go unnoticed.

There’s another way to be seen

What I’ve learned, sometimes the hard way, is that visibility doesn’t have to be loud, artificial, or manipulative. There’s a quieter form of faire-savoir, one rooted in consistency, integrity, and trust. It happens when you go the extra mile without making noise about it. When you carry a project forward simply because you care about the outcome. When you support a teammate, fix a problem, or keep things on track, even if no one’s watching; or at least, you think no one is.

But the truth is people do notice. Maybe not immediately, and not always with praise, but over time, the pattern becomes clear. You become known as the person who shows up. Who delivers. Who makes things better without making a show of it.

And when that happens, something powerful shifts. Others begin to speak on your behalf. You’re recommended, trusted, and remembered, not because you asked to be, but because your work speaks through others.

That’s the systemic version of faire-savoir—not based on performance, but on presence.

Impact comes from integration

Still, even this quiet kind of visibility doesn’t remove the responsibility to be intentional. You can’t leave it entirely to others to notice or speak up for you. There are moments where you need to step forward respectfully, clearly, and with humility, to help others understand what you’ve contributed and what you’re working toward. Not for applause, but for alignment. Not to promote yourself, but to make collaboration easier and impact more visible.

Because here’s the reality: faire-savoir without faire and savoir-faire is noise. But faire and savoir-faire without faire-savoir is invisible value, quiet excellence that too often gets left behind.

So if we truly want to be impactful, not just busy or competent, we have to embrace all three.We have to do the work, do it with care and intelligence, and then make it visible in a way that reflects who we are.

---

Questions for reflection:

• Which of these three dimensions feels most natural to you—and which one are you avoiding or underusing? Why?

• What would authentic visibility (faire-savoir) look like for you, aligned with your values and personality?

• If you fully embodied all three—doing, doing wisely, and being seen—how might your presence and impact evolve in your work and relationships?

---

Nicola Arnese helps professionals strengthen their impact by cultivating the balance between faire, savoir-faire, and faire-savoir. His coaching approach supports individuals and teams in doing meaningful work, navigating complexity with maturity, and making contributions visible with integrity. If you’re seeking to grow in presence, influence, and alignment, you're welcome to schedule a free, non-binding coaching session. These sessions are offered during Nicola free hours to ensure no conflicts with his other business responsibilities. This may require some flexibility in scheduling.